US Attorney-General Jeff Sessions has told a high-stakes Senate hearing the idea that he colluded with Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign is “an appalling and detestable lie”.
But the hearing also saw senators grow increasingly frustrated as Mr Sessions refused to answer a series of questions relating to conversations he had with President Donald Trump.
Mr Sessions, a senior member of Mr Trump’s Cabinet and an adviser to his presidential campaign, faced criticism from Democratic senators for declining to answer their questions.
Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich accused him of violating his vow to tell the full truth.
He told Mr Sessions: “You’re impeding this investigation.”
No answer when asked about Comey’s role
Mr Sessions dodged questions about whether he had discussed FBI director James Comey’s handling of the FBI’s Russia probe with Mr Trump before the President fired Mr Comey on May 9.
Similarly, he did not answer when asked if Mr Trump had expressed concern about his March decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation.
Democratic Senator Ron Wyden told Mr Sessions: “I believe the American people have had it with stonewalling. Americans don’t want to hear that answers to relevant questions are privileged.”
But Mr Sessions said he did not want to discuss confidential conversations he had with Mr Trump, saying that in refusing to do so he was “not stonewalling” but “following the historic policies of the Department of Justice.”
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